1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to telephones and more particularly to a base for a telephone instrument which facilitates its being used as a desk mounted or wall mounted instrument.
2. BACKGROUND ART
In the past telephones have been designed with the inclusion of means whereby the support or mounting for the hand telephone may be adapted for use either upon a desk or upon a wall. Such telephones usually required special modification of the standard hook switch as well as the cradle portion of the telephone to readily facilitate its use in both horizontal and vertical modes. The use of telephones so modified has been taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,558,699; 2,277,280; 2,277,296; 2,492,375 and 2,654,811. An examination of the designs taught by the aforementioned patents indicates that they are all compromise designs and as such function less than ideally in both horizontal and vertical modes.
Another approach to the adaptation of conventional telephone instruments for use in both horizontal and vertical modes is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,480,741 which teaches in effect an attachment that will secure and optimally support a traditional desk type telephone in a vertical position. The support assembly includes a number of inclined arms upon which the base of the telephone can rest in an inclined but generally horizontal position with the base support assembly being mounted in a vertical position on the wall. A modification also for holding the telephone hand set is included as part of the support structure which is articulated in a manner so as to engage the hook switch buttons of the traditional desk type telephone. While the unit appears to be operatively effective, its appearance is less than aesthetically pleasing.
Another recent factor entering into the difficulties of utilizing the same telephone for both horizontal and vertical mounting is the provision of permanently installed outlets which facilitate the telephone subscriber merely plugging into a convenient outlet with a plug attached to the telephone instrument. Clearly such arrangements are adapted for either wall mounting or desk mounting of telephones but not for a combination of both. Most recently, under federal law, telephone company regulations have been modified so that now it is necessary for the telephone subscriber to purchase in most instances his own telephone connecting it to existing terminals or to terminals which must be installed. If, of course, the terminal, i.e. jacks, are already installed no installation service visit is required by local telephone company operating personnel.
In this situation there are severe technical problems. Wall terminals (jacks) normally are of the female type and include a plurality of openings into which male plugs are inserted when a set is installed. They provide the necessary electrical interface between the telephone line and the telephone instrument. In order to facilitate wall mounting of a telephone set and electrical connection by an unskilled person, a telephone set adapted to include a rear plate having a stationary electrical male plug and facilities for being connected to the wall unit mechanically to provide the structural support is usually provided. Alternatively, desk mounted telephones are equipped with a cord and plug which extends some distance from the desk or similar location to a wall mounted jack usually located somewhere near the baseboard rather than higher up on an associated wall.
To facilitate wall mounting by the subscriber of many standard wall type telephone instruments a number of adaptor assemblies have been provided which facilitate the customer's direct location of wall telephones on wall mounted jacks. Such assemblies are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,840,711; 3,848,097; 3,849,608; 3,851,119 and 3,898,394. These adaptor units while readily facilitating the mounting of wall type telephones are only useful for such wall telephones and cannot be utilized in adapting desk mounted telephones to be located in a vertical position.
Accordingly there is need for an adaptor which can function in combination with a desk telephone design in the desk mode and yet be readily adapted to facilitate the mounting of a telephone instrument flush against a vertical wall by the telephone subscriber.